Rope-clutch for aerial-tramway carriages.



PATENTED MAR. '7, 1905.

E. BOUGHT-JR. ROPE CLUTCH FOR AERIAL TRAMWAY OARRIAGES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23.1904.

Patented March "7, 1905.

EUGFNE BOUOHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ROPE-CLUTCH FOR AEllRllAL-THAWlWttW oannirieiea.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,100, dated March'7, 1905.

Application filed June 23, 1904;. Serial No. 213,899.

."o (1.7! 'IHfHf/IL if; may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE Because, a citizen of France, residing in theborough of Brooklyn, in the city and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in RopeGlutches forAerial-illrarnway Carriages, of which the following is a speciiication.

The present invention relates to a ropeclutch designed foraerial-wire-rope-tram way carriages and is illustrated in theaccornpanying drawings, in which corresponding reference-letters denotecorresponding parts, and in which Figure 1 shows a sectional elevationof the rope-clutch transversely to the track, the dotted linesillustrating a lifting device therefor. Fig. 2 is an elevational viewthereof as seen in direction of the track. Fig. 3 is an enlargedsectional elevation of the clutch, similar to that of Fig. 1. Figs. 4and 5 illustrate the carriage in different positions, and Fig. (3 thecarriage at one of the coupling or uncoupling points.

\Vith reference to the drawings, a is an arm or hanger rigidly fastenedto the carriage at the center thereof and depending therefrom beneaththe track, the lower end a of this hanger a being formed to acylindrical pin or pivot. The latter serves as a guide for avertically-movable piece 71, forming the second part of the clutch andbeing provided with two pivots e (1, extending transversely to the trackand carrying the load. The surface (I of the movable piece 6 forming theclampingsurface is made oblique, as seen from Fig. 3, whereby thepressure acting perpendicularly to the said surface (Z will depend notonly from the load, but also from the pitch of said surface. At the partof the hanger a opposite the oblique surface of the movable piece Z) afurrow c is made, adapted to hold the rope in position in the clutch. Ashort vertical inovcinent of the piece 7) suffices to open or close theclutch by the increase or decrease of the distance between (Z and c,Fig. 3, so that the traction-rope can readily enter or leave the clutch.When the carriage is released from the traction-rope, the movable pieceL bears against a washer Zr, carried by the pivot 11/ of the hanger a.

The load can be suspended from the movable piece 7 in any convenientmanner. .lt is. however, advantageous to connect the loadcarrier f, Fig.1, by means of a universal joint with the movable piece 7), Figs. l and2.

A double arnifis rotatively journaled upon the pivots r, (2 of themovable piece Z) and has at its lower end a pivot /1/, extendingparallel with the track and serving to hold the loadcarrier 1:. Thisallows a carriage construction which is advantageous for the equilibriumof the carriage in all its positions, as shown in Figs. i and 5. Fig. ashows that with an oblique track the load hangs freely down and thebearing-pressure r upon the leading rope, which is essentiallycon'iposed of the weight of the load and the draft of the traction-rope,is directed toward the center of the carriage and that upon each wheelhalf of the pressure is imparted. Fig. 5 shows the carriage in a viewsimilar to thatof Fig. l and the position thereof upon a curved part ofthe track. It is herefroni seen that the universal joint /I will permitthe load freely to follow the centrifugal power and that the carriagewill adjust itself in an inclined position until it is in equilibriumwithout absolutely necessitating any guides.

As above stated, the opr'ining of the clutch is effected by the raisingof the piece in Fig. (i it is shown how, for instance, at one of thecmrpling-points this movement is accomplished and that the traction-ropeis forcibly so guided that it will in'nnediately upon the opening of theclutch enter the same. At the uncouplingpoint the traction-rope iscorrespondingly guided so that the'sanie will leave the clutchinunediati-ely upon opening the lat ter. At suitable points of the tracktwo rods 1 (see dotted lines in Fig. 1 and full lines in Fig. 6) arearranged, which swing upon an axle or pivot '0 and are held in aninclined position by counterweights and stops. The load-carrier 6 comesbetween the two rods and the pivots a a come in contact with the upperend of these rods. The inertia of the carriage running upon the rail'1)! forces the rods to swing upon their axle 0 and the movable piece 0,being supported by the said rods to raise a distance :r of the aredescribed by the pivots c. This movement is effected without any shockbecause of the distance being very short and the load being capable ofturning upon the pivots e a, and thus enabled to follow the centrifugalpower.

The traction-rope being at the couplingpoints always pressed downwarddoes not exert any friction upon the clamping-surface (I; nor is thereany friction in the clutch at the uncoupling-point, because of thecarriage and the rope having the same'speed. In view of this fact itwill be seen that if it is desired to increase the friction this may beaccomplished by screws 91, which, as shown in Fig. 3, may

be arranged in the movable piece?) and be provided at its outerextremity with a plurality of notches, which would not injure thetraction-rope clamped between the said notched ends of the screws andthe furrow c of the hanger c.

Having thus described the nature of my in vention and in what manner thesame is to be operated, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1.Arope-clutch for wire-rope-tramway carriages, comprising a hangerrigidly attached to the carriage, and a vertically-movable piece guidedupon the hanger and carrying the load, the traction-rope being adaptedto be clamped between the hanger and the movable part, substantially andfor the purpose as specified.

2. A rope-clutch for wire-rope-tram way carriages, comprising a hangerrigidly attached to the carriage at the central line thereof anddepending therefrom perpendicularly to the track, a cylindrical anddownwardly-projecting pivot at the lower end of the hanger, avertically-movable part guided upon said pivot, a second hangersuspended from the said movable part and having a universal movement,and means allowing said universal movement,

the said second hanger being adapted to carry joint and carrying theload, substantially and for the purpose as specified.

4. A rope-clutch for wirero1)e-tram way carriages, comprising a hangerrigidly attached to the carriage at the central line thereof anddepending therefrom perpendicularly to the track, a vertically-movablepiece guided upon the lower end of the hanger, said movable piececonsisting of a casing adapted to fit upon said lower end of the hanger,a recess at one side of the said casing having an oblique surface, saidsurface and lower end of the hanger immediately above the cylindricalextension thereof being adapted to clamp the traction-rope, lateralhorizontal pivots attached to the movable casing and extendingapproximately in line with the traction-rope, a universal jointsuspended from said pivots and a second hanger suspended from saiduniversal joint and carrying the load, sub? stantially and for thepurpose as specified.

5. Arope-clutch for wire-rope:tramway carriages comprising a hangerrigidly attached to the carriage at the central line thereof anddependmg therefrom perpendicularly to the track, a vertically-movablepiece guided upon the lower end of the hanger, said movable piececonsisting of a casing adapted to fit upon said lower end of the hanger,a recess at one side of the said casing having an oblique surface, ascrew working in the said recessed side for the increase of friction,lateral horizontal pivots attached to the movable casing and extendingapproximately in line with the tractionrope, a universal joint suspendedfrom said pivot and a second hanger suspended from said universal jointand carrying the load, substantially and for the purpose as specified.

6. The combination with a wire-clutch for aerial-wire-rope-tramwaycarriages, of a device for lifting the movable piece of the clutch, saiddevice comprising swinging arms journaled upon an axle and arranged atsuitable points of the track, counterweights and stops for holding theswinging arms in proper position, said arms being adapted to supportwith their upper ends the pivots of the movable piece, when the lattercomes to lie between the two arms, and in swinging around to lift thesaid movable piece, substantially and. for the purpose as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this Qlst day of June, 1904.

EUGENE BOUCHER. l/Vitnesses:

EMMA GALINGER, SARA SPILLE.

IIO

